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Mr Hopwood said: “The latest survey figures show just how committed First Great Western is to tackling overcrowding. We will continue to look for opportunities to add further carriages when they become available.”

Dennis Tan, of passenger group OxRail, said the 6.30am service was avoided by city commuters because of the multiple stops.

He said: “You can still get a seat but on really busy days, such as on a Monday or Thursday, you run a small risk of not getting a seat.”

It comes after the firm announced it would increase season ticket prices from Oxford to London by 4.2 per cent.

The Government demanded a 4.2 per cent average increase for regulated fares across the FGW network from January 1 as part of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

He said individual fares could change from -0.8 per cent to 9.2 per cent as long as the average increase for the operator was 4.2 per cent.

This meant that Bicester and Banbury commuters face a 9.2 per cent season ticket rise for Chiltern Railways services.